Borgata

2016: $111 million

2015: $696 million

2014: $642 million

Borgata earns nearly double in its casino than its closest Atlantic City competitor. Borgata is owned by MGM Resorts. It opened in July 2003 and was the newest Atlantic City casino until Revel opened in 2012. Revel has since shuttered, leaving Borgata as the most modern resort in Atlantic City.

Borgata’s 2014 gaming revenue was up 4.2 percent compared to 2013. It was up 8.3 percent in 2015. Borgata is up 8.8 percent in 2016 for the first two months.

Borgata enjoys a substantial level of nongaming revenue. It also leads the market in internet gaming revenue. Borgata has by far the largest and most profitable poker room in Atlantic City.

Harrah’s

2016: $57 million

2015: $374 million

2014: $365 million

Harrah’s continues to produce in a declining market. It is owned by Caesars Entertainment. Opened in November 1980, it is among the oldest casinos in Atlantic City.

Harrah’s has remodeled several times since and is the best producer in terms of gaming revenue among the three Caesars Entertainment casinos in Atlantic City. Its 2014 revenue was up 2.5 percent against the previous year and was up 2.5 percent in 2015.

Caesars

2016: $43 million

2015: $310 million

2014: $331 million

Caesars is a Caesars Entertainment property. The property opened on the Boardwalk in June 1979.

Caesars’ casino revenue was down 1.7 percent in 2014 compared to the previous year. It was down 6.1 percent in 2015. Caesars is down 10.8 percent in the first two months of 2016. It is by far the worst performer this year in terms of comps.

Showboat players did not move action to Caesars like the company projected.

Tropicana

2016: $43 million

2015: $280 million

2014: $275 million

Tropicana is owned by Tropicana Entertainment, which is majority owned by Carl Icahn. While it shares the same name as a Las Vegas Strip property, the two resorts are not related. Tropicana Entertainment does own a property in Laughlin, Nevada.

Tropicana opened in November 1981. It replaced a hotel known as Ambassador. Most notably, the property was famous for meetings among organized crime members during Prohibition.

Tropicana gaming revenue was up 20.4 percent in 2014 compared to 2013. It was up 2 percent in 2015.

Bally’s

January 2016: $31 million

2015: $210 million

2014: $225 million

Bally’s is another of Caesars Entertainment’s four Atlantic City properties. It opened in December 1979 on the Boardwalk.

Two of its hotels predate legalized gambling. The Dennis Tower opened in 1921, while the Claridge Tower opened in 1930. Bally’s was one of the biggest losers in Atlantic City in 2014. Its slide continued in 2015 when it lost another 6.4 percent over the previous year.

Golden Nugget

January 2016: $32 million

2015: $200 million

2014: $175 million

Golden Nugget was once the Trump Marina. An extensive remodel brought Landry’s into the market.

The company also owns properties in Biloxi, Las Vegas and Laughlin. The resort now includes many familiar names that are related to the company better known for its restaurants.

Golden Nugget is toward the bottom of Atlantic City rankings in terms of revenue. Because it’s a small casino on the marina it relies less on gaming than other properties. Revenue was up 40 percent in 2014 over the previous year, and up over 14.6 percent in 2015.

Resorts

January 2016: $24 million

2015: $162 million

2014: $139 million

Resorts opened in May 1978 and was the first Atlantic City casino. The property has perennially struggled toward the bottom of Atlantic City casino revenue rankings.

Resorts was up 6.6 percent during 2014 against 2013 numbers. It was up 16.4 percent in 2015. Resorts is the best performer in Atlantic City in terms of comps against 2014 numbers.

Atlantic City casinos closed during 2014

The following four casinos closed in 2014. Three were unprofitable, while Showboat was closed to lower the competition in the market.

Atlantic Club – $3.5 million

First to close was the Atlantic Club, in January 2014. The property went up for sale in 2012 and entered into an acquisition agreement with Rational Group, parent company of PokerStars. That deal fell through.

Caesars Entertainment and Tropicana Entertainment split the assets.

Showboat – $111 million

Showboat was Caesars Entertainment’s lowest grossing casino in Atlantic City. It opened in April 1987 and was acquired by Caesars in 1998. While it was profitable, Showboat closed in August 2014 in an attempt by Caesars Entertainment to streamline operations.

Revel – $98 million

Revel was Atlantic City’s newest casino. The casino opened in April 2012, but only after major delays due to the recession and investor issues.

It filed for bankruptcy before its first anniversary and again after its second year of operations. Revel tried to be a resort first and casino second. This business plan flopped as it had not reached goals on either end of the business.

Revenue was down 3.5 percent in 2014. As a result, Revel closed on September 2, 2014.

Trump Plaza – $37 million

Trump Plaza earned the lowest gaming revenue in the entire Atlantic City market. Additionally, it was the largest loser in terms of year over year revenue. It was down 31.5 percent over the previous year.

The Meruelo Group attempted to acquire the property in 2013. The property’s mortgage holders refused the sale and it continued to operate under the Trump brand. Trump Plaza ceased operations in September 2014.

Atlantic City casinos closed during 2016

Trump Taj Mahal

January 2016: $25 million

2015: $180 million

2014: $216 million

Trump Taj Mahal was once the highest grossing casino in Atlantic City. This all changed when Borgata opened in 2003. Consequently, it closed on Oct. 10, 2016.

While the casino used Donald Trump’s name, he lost most of his equity in a bankruptcy. Trump Taj Mahal was down 17.3 percent in 2014 against the previous year’s numbers.

Trump Taj Mahal filed for bankruptcy protection in September 2014. Subsequent to the bankruptcy, its internet gaming partner bailed on them, citing nonpayment. This has hurt its ability to draw players. It was down 16.5 percent in 2015. The drop from 2015 to 2016 sealed its fate.

Atlantic City casinos

There were 12 casinos in Atlantic City at the start of 2014 and eight when the year ended.

Atlantic Club closed in January 2014. Showboat closed in August 2014. Finally, Revel and Trump Plaza ceased operations in September 2014. Trump Taj Mahal closed its doors in 2016, leaving seven casinos in the resort town.

Atlantic City saw a steady decline in revenue every year since 2006. Gaming revenue peaked in 2006 at $5.21 billion and then dropped. In 2013, Atlantic City casinos took in just $2.86 billion.

Pennsylvania casinos eventually overtook New Jersey in 2012 to take second place in terms of US gaming revenue. These numbers represent the amount won at table games and slots. It does not include hotel, restaurant, or retail sales.

Gaming revenue is 50 percent more than non-gaming revenue in Atlantic City.

All that being said, the tides have now turned and AC casinos are on the mend posting monthly gains for most of 2018. That year, two new properties opened, Hard Rock Atlantic City (former Taj Mahal) and Ocean Resort (former Revel).

Online gambling at Atlantic City casinos

The law authorizing online gambling in NJ required that all sites either be a land-based operator in Atlantic City or to partner with a land-based operator. Below are the active online casino sites in NJ’s market and the land-based partner each site is affiliated with: